Brought Him To Life
by RobertDowneyJrLove
Summary: Tony musing on how Pepper saved his life :


There were very few times in his life when Tony Stark actually felt touched by something or felt a strong almost magnetic pull toward someone. Rarely if ever did he feel as if gravity was pulling him toward someone, as if he was meant to be with that person. He could honestly say that if had ever felt that, he was not completely aware of it. Until he met her and then nothing could stop the feeling. It was almost as if he was experiencing a freight train of onslaught feelings. That one single almost instant gravitational pull that made him want to be close to her at all costs. That's why he hired her as his personal assistant-that and she was the only one willing to call him out on his crap.

"Pep," Tony whispered as the credits scrolled on the screen. "Pepper?"

He looked over and by the dim light of the screen could just make out the deep breaths of his obviously sleeping girlfriend. He laughed slightly as he wrapped his arm around her and pulled her closer, leaning down to kiss her temple gently.

"Jarvis, turn the movie off." Tony whispered. The faithful AI turned the projection off and dimmed the lights in Tony's bedroom. There were very few times when Tony got to enjoy the contentment of just watching Pepper sleep. As there were very few times, he hadn't fallen asleep with her, as they both seemed to have adapted the same sleep pattern since Pepper stayed over more than usual.

The dim blue light of the arc reactor casted a cool blue glow on her sleeping form. The cool blue glow nearly matched her eyes to perfection, but he knew that nothing could compare to the blue of her eyes. There was something unmistakable about the particular shade of blue and something in that shade that could not be matched.

"Beautiful," Tony whispered, even though he knew she couldn't hear him. "I know that you can't hear me Pepper, and believe me this isn't the first time I've done this and I think I may be going insane, but you look to peaceful to wake to tell you this in person. Pepper, God-I don't even know if there is an adjective that describes how unbelievably, insanely gorgeous you are. You are my absolute best friend-nothing and no one will ever be able to change that."

No matter how many time he stared at her, no matter how many times he traced the curves of her body, or traced patterns in the swirls of freckles that dripped off of the bridge of her nose, or even thought about her, he still couldn't comprehend just how beautiful she was. She was so entrancing, enticing and sexy that it was almost sinful to even steal a glance at her-and she was his girlfriend so if anyone could stare at her and get away with it, it was him.

The only thing that made the fiery, freckled red-head more beautiful was the personality. Despite having a sharp tongue and a fiery temper that came in handy where he or Iron Man was concerned, she was also the definition of professional, exuding a sexy confidence that was evident through the business suits and the high heels she wore. She exuded sexiness like no other woman he had ever dreamt about had. Yet the other side of Pepper Potts was sexy in her own way. The other side of Pepper was soft-spoken, caring, nice, yet at the same time, funny, witty and flirty. She was the woman who could match wits with him, comfort him or give him a swift kick to the rear-which admittedly she has had to do more often than she should.

Yet, these traits are only part of what started his infatuation with Pepper. His infatuation with Pepper began with a simple look from her. That's all it had taken for the gravitational pull to start. She had looked at him in the simple, frustratingly sexy way of hers and almost instantly he had been hooked to her. She had woke something up inside of him, something that made him realize that she was quite possibly the only woman on earth who could do that to him-who could see through him with just a look.

When he hired her as his personal assistant, he was unprepared for the dramatic changes that would interrupt life as he knew it. She could see into him, see behind the walls he had built after his parents died. She could see the pain, misery and grief he was hiding. He needed someone to wake him up inside, to make him see that there was more to life than fast cars, easy money, expensive booze and women that came easier than the money. He needed someone to save him from the dark that was becoming his life. She saved him from the nothing he was becoming, saved him from killing himself in the expensive booze binges he had been known to go in-twelve years ago he would have said indulge but now, five bottles of expensive scotch in as many days wasn't indulging, neither was drinking himself into black oblivion.

She brought him to life. She made him see what he was missing when he drank himself into oblivion, made him see the part of life that was simpler than what he was used too. She introduced him to the part of life that was more than just fast cars and easy money. She showed him what it was like to have a true best friend. She showed him that a real best friend was more than just someone who had been there through all of his drinking binges or someone he had gone drinking with. She showed him that a best friend saw him for what he truly was- a man with weaknesses, insecurities and parts of his soul that were empty and cold, but she also made him see that despite these flaws, a best friend loved him.

It had taken her one day to show him all of this stuff. It had taken her one day, one glance to make him see what nobody had ever bothered to wake him up to. She was the only woman who could speak to him in a way that awakened a part of him that had been hidden for entirely too long. She knew his flaws, his weaknesses, his insecurities and she knew the part of his soul that was empty and cold but she also knew how to awaken that part of him that loved, that wasn't afraid to love. She had barely known him yet she could see right through him, could see the part of his life that was shattered by the death of his parents, the heart that had long ago been broken by a father who was happiest when he could ship his son off to boarding school.

"You brought me to life, Pepper." Tony whispered resting his head on hers lightly, "You woke me up to a life I hadn't been living. You busted that little alcohol induced bubble I had been living in for so long. You saw right through me and you didn't even know me. You could see right through me as if we had known each other forever. To me, we have. Twelve years is a long time for me to have one person in my life constantly-especially a woman. You are my life now, you aren't just my assistant anymore, you're my best friend, my girlfriend, the absolute love of my life."

Tears welled in his eyes as he thought about all that Pepper had done for him over the years-from waking him up to life, to helping him overcome his greatest demon, repairing his broken heart, cleaning up his mess, repairing his tarnished reputation and finally just loving him. He could never repay her for everything she had done for him over the last twelve years, all he could do was hope that his love was enough.

"I don't think I could ever repay you for all the things you've done for me." Tony whispered softly, letting the tears slip out of his eyes. "If it weren't for you, I'd probably be dead right now and Stane would be running Stark Industries. You brought me to life, you saved my life, Pepper and I don't think I could ever repay you for that-at least not and have it count for anything. I love you, Pepper and I hope that's enough."

To his surprise, Pepper rolled over and smiled up at him-albeit tiredly, as she whispered, "Your love will always be enough. I know you think I haven't heard a word you've said but I woke up before the first "I love you." Tony, you're my best friend, my absolute best friend. I may have saved your life but that doesn't mean you owe me anything, all I could ever ask for is that you love me and that I always have a best friend in you."

"Always Pepper." Tony whispered as he leaned down and captured her lips with his.

_"...Bring me to Life..." _

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_**Bring me to Life by Evanescence was my muse for this story. Bring me to Life continues to be one of my absolute favorite songs by them. This song is just so hauntingly beautiful and it really emphasizes the beautiful, almost haunting voice of Amy Lee. I love her, she is one of my favorite female singers. Anyway, the point of this song was the express how Pepper seemed to bring Tony to life. The premise of this story is based around Pepper capturing Tony's heart and soul with one simple look, almost as if she could see inside of him, see the secrets, the pain and the grief he kept hidden by a wall of alcohol and women. The song makes little sense to me and this story isn't exactly easy to follow but then again neither is my muse, so take it or leave it, I have no preference-Okay I do, and I would prefer you take it, but if you leave it, well that's your personal opinion, I won't change it.**

**Love ya, **

**RobertDowneyJrLove **


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